Brain Injury Support Group

Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Outcome can be anything from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. A coma can also affect a child's brain.

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imbalanceman 03/07/2015

It all started a year ago from out of nowhere.
Originally I caught viral labrythitis so the Docs say.
I did have the fullness in the ears,pain,nausea,vomiting,dizziness and loss of balance to name a few.
Anyway I have seen ENT specialist and had hearing , bloods, balance test ,MRI and all came back as ok.
He gave me diagnosis of chronic subjective dizziness ( A made up load of crap cos he had no clue and tried to put me on SSRIs).
He gave me fluextine but this made me really bad and had to stop.
Docs put me on amitryptline and been on for 5 months now.
ENT said he is certain there is nothing wrong with my inner ear causing this and its a brain problem. He said to stop taking meds and the VRT I was doing as nothing will touch it.
I stopped the meds but within 3 days my brain feels every movement or sensation from every angle and feels like its shifting.
I get sharp pain on my left side only in side of my head and then this will lead to hurting eyes and eventually cause a visual vertigo type effect. Its very hard to describe.
Ive had tingling in the left side also but now I have no diagnosis so cant get better.
I get a horrid imbalance - not dizzy - sensation smack me in the side of the head when turning or looking left.
No matter what I exercise 5 days a week so this illness does not get the better of me and stay active as much as possible. Work is very hard due to visual problems it causes. Ive had eyes checked and they are fine too. Anyone have any ideas what may have caused this or what this might be?

cheesecake88 03/07/2015

Hi and welcome, I did some reading and what stood out to me was could nerves have become inflamed and I honestly do not know how that or if that would show up on your MRI. I wonder if a Neurologist who has experience with Brain Injury could help you? There is so much that can not be seen physically, but just as you know all the symptoms persist. I also read about a type of rehabilitation that helps the brain to compensate/adapt. I still use sunglasses inside because of light sensitivity/earplugs/white noise to filter sound...to help my brain adjust to my surroundings.

I wish I could help more, but I would encourage you to keep looking for a wise, experienced doctor, some docs are clueless and it is soo frustrating to not get answers. A site called brainline.org has good info and might help you, plus doing as much research as you can. I hope there are others who have ideas...eyes/ears/brain it's a delicate balance when there is an injury. Please keep us updated, we all try to help each other/share coping skills. Sending you lots of Hope!!!

imbalanceman 03/08/2015

Thanks for your reply I thought it may be a nerve issue as when I turn my head left and look right I have a horrid pull feeling across the side of my head where the problem is and it makes me feel sick. I am waiting for my apt with a neurologist but with the NHS it seems for ever for that to happen. I also get a feeling like I have a small weight stuck in my left side of head that slowly goes and turns into sharpness then that subsides and it goes to my eyes causing disorientation and like its hard to focus. I normally have to close my eyes for 10 mins to allow it time for me to carry on. Its just really hard with 2 small children with this thing happening to me all day long. thanks for the hope you sent I will check out that website. much appreciated.

Aust 03/17/2015

I too slowly lost balance. Horrible. Countless tests, scans and mris. Tried meds. no effect, Even had me on Parkinson meds to no use. Very good nuro, tells me they refer all the "weird" ones to him. Said ataxia, unknown as yet cause. I now use a walker full time for safety. More mris and speech difficulties and he as come up with mini strokes and something else, unknown so far, I had a tbi years ago. Don't know if this is from that, or something else. Feels as if you had a centre of gravity going through body once, its gone.

TedRuxpin 03/17/2015

My balance is horrible now post brain injury. Last year I tried ice skating and was a complete failure at it. I was just fine with it long ago back in the 70's that was before my brain injury. Balance beams are tough for me too now unlike long ago.

imbalanceman 03/17/2015

My balance was really bad when it all started but now id say its normal, I can walk fine , I exercise fine , I just get constant horrid brain imbalance sensations that are knocking the life out of me. This can be standing or sitting completely still. Lying down nothing, I sleep for ever since this happened and you wouldn't wake me up if there was a hurricane. I hate every single morning, I find it so hard to open my left eye and once on my feet, BOOOOOOOOM there it is, Got some catching up to do cos I was asleep, here have this feeling or what about this one. If I could slice my head in half and swap the left side id be my old self again. Through all this my children are suffering more when dad says sorry I cant play, sorry I cant do that I don't feel good, sorry I cant jump up and down with you, sorry , sorry ,sorry, this is what makes me angry with the NHS service ive received so far, A year of jerking me about with no answers. I want a rebate of my NI contributions so I can afford to go private!!!!!

Ponigirl1809 03/30/2015

I can suggest one thing a scan of your head and the reason I say this is because my mother (in her mid 70's) had a misstep, fell and broke her wrist. Just to be on the safe side they also did a head scan (can't remember if it was a CT or MRI). They found a tumor in her head in her sinus's and it needed to be removed. It was benign and she is doing much better- oh and her wrist is healed.
They said without the scan she could have died- because she wound not have felt the tumor.
Just something you might want to look into.
Best of luck!!

imbalanceman 04/01/2015

I went to see a nuerologist yesterday and he thinks I have functional nuerological disorder. Anyone heard of this? Why would I get this from out of nowhere? How do I stop my brain from feeling so off balanced? This only started when I caught viral labrythitis now im left totally mangled. He said it was very serious and im back to see him within 2 weeks to see what were going to do.
Anyone else have this or had this?

tryn2bpositive 10/24/2015

Try this. Sit on the floor and then lay over to the left to the floor, then go back to sitting position, then lay over to the right to the floor. Do 3 times if possible. Work up to 3 times.
My friend got this exercise from her doctor for a similar problem and it worked! I've told many people and they used it with success. This exercise is for an inner ear/off balance and a lot of doctors know about it. Hope it works.

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